Packaging method



Feb. 27, 1962 l. POWERS PACKAGING METHOD 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 15, 1959 Feb. 27, 1962 I. POWERS PACKAGING METHOD 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 15, 1959 l. POWERS PACKAGING METHOD Feb. 27, 1962 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed June 15, 1959 United States Patent 3,022,613 PACKAGING METHOD Irving Powers, University City, Mo., assignor to Bernis Bro. Bag Company, St. Louis, Mo., a corporation of Missouri Filed June 15, 1959, Ser. No. 820,226

- Claims. (Cl. 53-28) This invention relates to packaging, and more particularly to methods of packing merchandise in plastic bags each having a closure flap adapted to be folded back away from closed position over the bag mouth to open the bag mouth for removal of the merchandise packed in the bag.

In the United States Patents 2,709,467 and 2,842,179 of Arthur D. Hoeppner, issued May 31, 1955, and July 8, 1958, respectively, there are shown bags made of flexible heat-scalable sheet plastic material, such as polyethylene, having a closure flap initially positioned exteriorly of one wall of the bag at the bag mouth. This flap is adapted to be folded over the mouth of the bag after the bag has been packed to close the bag, and adapted to be opened by reversely folding it to bring it back to its initial position. Such bags have come into widespread use for packaging a wide variety of merchandise, particularly soft goods such as shirts and other apparel, towels, etc. They are supplied by the bag manufacturer with the closure flap originally in open position. After the merchandise has been inserted in the bag through the mouth of the bag, the flap is folded over the mouth of the bag.

United States Patent 2,873,566 shows the formation of bags with a closure flap initially in the closed position over the mouth of the bag, the bottom end of the bag being left open. through the open bottom, after which the bottom is sealed.

The packaging operations involved in each of the above instances involve the step of insertion of merchandise in a bag, and the step of closing the bag. The closing step in the case of United States Patents 2,709,467 and 2,842,179 involves the manipulation of the closure flap. The closing step in the case of United States Patent 2,873,566 involves the sealing of the bag bottom.

Among the several objects of this invention may be noted the provision of methods of packaging merchandise in bags in which the merchandise is associated with the material to be formed into bags prior to the formation of the bags, and in which packed bags issue from a packing line closed at both top and bottom, thereby accomplishing packaging without requiring insertion of rnerchandise through an open end of the bag and without requiring a bag-closing step as such; and the provision of a method such as described which is economical to carry out.

Essentially, the method comprises forming a continul ous envelope having first and second superimposed walls joined along one edge thereof with the first wall having a flap-forming portion joined thereto a ong the other edge of the continuous envelope overlying the-second wall on the outside thereof and free of the second wa l,

with a series of items of merchandise positioned within said continuous envelope between the Walls thereof at spaced intervals along the length of the enve ope. The

envelope with the items therein is segmented on trans-' verse lines between the items, and the segments are sideseamed throughout the width of the envelope, thereby to form individual bags each having merchandise therein with each bag having first and second walls joined at the bottom, seamed at the sides, and free of one another at the top, and having a closure flap derived from said flap-forming portion joined to the first wall at the upper Merchandise is inserted in the bag pull 1 edge thereof overlying the upper portion of the second wall and having its ends seamed to the second wall at the bag side seams.

Other objects and features will be in part apparent and in part pointed out hereinafter.

The invention accordingly comprises the methods hereinafter described, the scope of the invention being indi cated in the following claims.

In the accompanying drawings, in which several of various possible embodiments of the invention are illustrated,

FIG. 1 is a plan view illustrating a first method of this invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged section taken on line 22 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a completed package as made by the FIG. 1 method;

FIG. 4 is a plan view illustrating a second method of this invention;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged section taken on line 5-5 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a completed package as made by the FIG. 4 method;

FIG. 7 is a plan view illustrating a third method of this invention;

FIG. 8 is an enlarged section taken on line 8-8 of FIG. 7; and,

"velope 1 is shown as being formed from a continuous relatively wide web 3 of flexible heat-scalable sheet plastic material such as polyethylene. As'shown, the envelope is formed by longitudinally folding the continuous web 3 on a longitudinal fold line 5 which is offset to one side of the longitudinal center line 7 of the web to provide first and second superimposed envelope walls 9 and 11 integrally joined along one longitudinal edge of the envelope by the fold at 5. Line 5 being offset from the longitudinal centerline 7 of the web 3, the first wall 9 is wider than the second wall by the amount of the offset. This provides a marginal portion 13 of wall 9 which projects beyond the free edge 15 of wall 11, and which is folded over on a longitudinal fold line 17 substantially in register with edge 15 of wall 11 on the outside of wall 15 (lying underneath wall 11 as viewed in FIG. 1). This portion 13 (the width of which corresponds to the amount which line 5 is offset from center line 7) constitutes a flap-forming portion of the continuous envelope 1. This flap-forming portion 13 is joined to the first wall 9 along fold 17, which constitutes the other edge of the envelope from the fold or edge 5. It is free of the second wall 11. V

The folding of the web 3 to form the envelope 1 is accomplished as the web (and envelope) are fed in the examp'e) are placed on the web 3 at spaced intervals along the length of the web and on one side of the line 5 where the web is folded to form the envelope. As shown in FIG. 1, the items are placed on that portion of the web which becomes the Wall 11 of the envelope. When the web is folded to form the envelope, wall 9 comes into position overlying the series of items on wall 11, and consequently the enveope 1 is made to contain a series of items 19 positioned between the envelope walls 9 and 11 at spaced intervals along the length of the sealing the walls '9 and 11 on both 'sides of each line of segmentation thereby to form heat-sealed side. seams 23 for each segment extending throughout the width of the envelope. This operation maybe carried out, for example, by feeding the envelope through a heat-sealing machine of a well-known type having a heated blade 'adapted to melt the plastic'material to cut through the Walls 9 and 11 and to fuse them together on opposite sides of the line on which the blade cuts through the walls. In this respect, it will be understood that the web 3 and envelope 1 may 'be intermittently fed forward a distance corresponding to the desired bag width, the blade operating during dwell intervals between successive feeding operations.

As a result of the above-described operations, bags B V such as illustrated at the extreme right end of FIG. 1

and one of which is illustrated per sein FIG. 3 are segmented from the envelope '1. Each bag contains an item.19. Each bag has first and second walls 9a and 11a (derived from walls 9 and '11 'of the envelope 1) seamed at the sides by the heat'seals' 23'and free of v one another at the top, and is closed at the bottom at fold 5. 'Each bag has a closure fiap'13a derived from flap-forming portion 13 of the envelope 1 joined'to the I wall 9a at fold 17 at the upper edge of wall 9a. This flap 13a overlies the wall 11a on the outside thereof, 'thusoccupying a position closing the upper end of the bag, and has .its end seamed by heatseals to the'wall 11a at the sides of the bag alongthe lines of heat-sealed side seams 23. Thus there areproduced bags in which merchandise isfprepacked, each bag, as produced,'-having 'closure flap 13a already in closed position. To remove the merchandise from a'bag, flap 13a is folded back to open up the bag'by inserting the fingers under it adjacent the sides, and turning it inside out.

It will be readily understood that the method above described is readily adaptable to the production of bags with gussets at top and bottom such as are shown in the Hoeppner'United States Patent 2,842,179.

FIGS. 4-6 illustrate a variation of the above within l the scope of the invention wherein the envelope 1a, instead of being formed from a single web 3 of flexible heat-sealable sheet plastic material is formed from two method diifer from those-made by the FIG. 1 method only in having a heat-sealed bottom seam 5a instead of a bottom fold.

FIGS. 1 and 4 show the flap-forming portion 13 of the envelope as being derived from the top wall of the envelope (which overlies the merchandise), but it will be apparent that it would be equally feasible to derive portion 13 from the bottom wall by making the latter the wider wall.

FIGS. 79 illustrate another variation within the scope of the invention wherein the envelope 1b is formed from two individual webs 3c and 3d and a relatively narrow strip or tape 13s, each of flexible heat sealable sheet plastic material. Web 3c is the bottom web, and is somewhat wider than web 3d. j The envelope 1b is formed by feeding web 3d overthe, items 19 on web 30, heat-sealing the webs together along'edge 5a of the envelope as by means of heated sealing bar 25 (the same as in FIG. 4), feeding strip 13s into position at the other margin of the envelope overlying the other edge 27 of web 3d, and heat-sealing strip 13s and web 30 together along edge 17a of the envelope outward of edge 27 of web 3d, as by means of a heated sealing bar 29 like bar 25. Web3c then forms wall 9 of the envelope, web

3d forms wall 11, and strip 13s forms the flap-forming 7 portion. Envelope 1!; shown in FIGS. 7 and'8 is then essentially the same as envelope 1a of FIGS. 4 and 5 except'that wall 9 and strips 135 are joined at the topby the heat-sealed seam at 17a instead of fold '17. Otherwise, the method of F167 is the same; as thatof'FlG. 4; The bags (see FIG.'9) made by the FIG; 7 method differ from those made by" the FIG. 4 method only in that flap 13a is joined to wall 9a by a heat-sealed seam 17a instead ofafold. a i

In view of the above, it will be seen that the several objects of the invention are achieved and other advantageousresults attained.

As various changes could be made in the above methods without departing from the scopeof the invention, it is intended that all'matter contained in the above 'description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

I claim: e

l. The method of packaging merchandise comprising forming a continuous envelope havingfirst and second superimposed walls joined along one edge thereof with the first wall having a flap-forming portion joined thereto along the other edge of the. continuous envelope overindividual webs 3a and 3b of such material, web 3:: being 'wider than web' 3b by the amount desired 'for" the flapforming portion 13 of theenvelope. The'envelope 1a is then formed by feeding web 3a over the items 19 on Web 31), and heat-sealing the webs together along edge 5a of the envelope, .the seam at 5a then corresponding to the fold at 5 in the FIG. 1 method. Web 3a then forms wall 11 of the envelope and web 3b forms wall 9. 'Thesealing at 5a may be eifected as by'means' of a heated sealing bar 25 such as illustrated in FIG. 4, operable during'the dwell intervals between successive feeding operations. As shown, the length of bar 25 isgreater than the width of the bags to be-forme d, hence it is'slightly angled relative to the direction of web feed so that, when it comes down, its leading end will miss the trailing end of the previously formed seal 5a. This avoids burning through at the trailing ends of seal 5a, as might occur if bar 25 were parallel to the direction of web feed. Flap-forming por 0 shown in FIGS. 4 and Sis then essentially the same as 7 tion 13 is folded over the same as in FIG. 1. Envelope 1a envelope 1 of FIGS. 1 and 2 except that walls 9 and 11 are joined at the heat-sealed seam Sa instead of fold 5.

: Otherwise, the method of FIG. 4 is the same as that of 'FIG. 1. The bags (see FIG. .6) made bythe FIG. 4

lying the second wall on the outside thereof and free of the second wall, with a series of items of merchandise positioned within said continuous envelope between the said'walls thereofat spaced vintervals along the length of the envelope, and segmenting'the envelope with said items therein on transverse lines between saiditems and side-seaming said segments throughout the width of the envelope, ;thereby toform individual bags each having merchandise therein with each bag havingfirst and second walls joined at the bottom, seamed at the sides, and

free of one another at the top, and-having a'closure flap derived from said flap-forming 'portion joined to the first wall at the upper edge thereof overlying the upper portion of the second wallon the outside thereof and having its ends seamed to the second wall at the bag side seams but being otherwise wholly free of said secondwall throughout its entire width, said closure flap being folded over the mouth of the bag without folding said upper portion of the second wall and beingreversely foldable -to overlie said'first wall thereby exposing the mouth of the bag .forrernoval of merchandise therefrom.

. 2. The method of packaging merchandise comprising forming a continuous envelope of flexible heat-scalable sheet material having first and second superimposed walls joined along one edge thereof with the first wall having a flap-forming portion joinedthereto along the other edge of the'continuous envelope overlying thersecond wall on the outside thereof and free of the second wall, with a series of items of merchandise positioned within said continuous envelope between the said walls thereof at spaced intervals along the length of the enve'lope, and segmenting the envelope with said items therein on transverse lines between said items and sideseaming said segments by heat-sealing throughout the width of the envelope, thereby to form individual bags each having merchandise therein with each bag having first and second walls joined at the bottom, seamed by heat seals at the sides, and free of one another at the top, and having a closure flap derived from said flapforming portion joined to the first wall at the upper edge thereof overlying the upper portion of the second wall on the outside thereof and having its ends heat-sealed to the second wall at the heat-sealed bag side seams but being otherwise wholly free of said second wall'throughout its entire width, said closure fiap being folded over the mouth of the bag without folding said upper portion of the second wall and being reversely foldable to overlie said first wall thereby exposing the mouth of the bag for removal of merchandise therefrom.

3. The method of packaging merchandise comprising placing items of merchandise 'on a continuous web at -web to form it into a continuous envelope having first and second'superimposed walls joined along one edge thereof at a fold with the first wall having a flap-forming portion joined thereto at a fold along the other edge of the continuous envelope overlying thesecond wall on the outside thereof and free of the second wall, and with the items of merchandise positioned within said continuous envelope between the said walls thereof at spaced intervals along the length of the envelope, and segmenting the envelope with said items therein on transverse lines between said items and side-seaming said segments throughout the width of the envelope, thereby to form individual bags each having merchandise therein with each bag having first and second walls joined at the bottom by a fold, seamed at the sides, and free of one another at the top, and having a closure flap derived from said flapforming portion joined to the first wall by a fold at the upper edge thereof overlying the upper portion of the second wall on the outside thereof and having its ends seamed to the second wall at the bag side seams but being otherwise wholly free of said second wall throughout its entire width, said closure flap being folded over the mouth of the bag without folding said upper portion of thesecond wall and being reversely foldable to overlie said first wall thereby exposing the mouth of the bag for removal of merchandise therefrom.

4. The method of packaging merchandise comprising placing items of merchandise on a continuous web of flexible heat-scalable sheet material at spaced intervals along the length of the web, folding the web to form a continuous envelope having first and second superimposed walls joined along one edge thereof at a fold with the first wall having a flap-forming portion joined thereto at a fold along the other edge of the continuous envelope overlying the second wallon the outside thereof and free of the second wall, and with the items of merchandise positioned within said continuous envelope between the said'walls thereof at spaced intervals along the length of the envelope, and segmenting the envelope with said items therein on transverse lines between said items and side-seaming said segments by heat-sealing throughout the width of the envelope, thereby to form individual bags each having merchandise therein with each bag having first and second walls joined at the bottom by a fold, seamed by heat seals at the sides, and free of one another at the top, and having a closure flap derived from said flap-forming portion joined to the first wall by a fold at the upper edge thereof overlying the upper portion of the second wall on the outside thereof and having its ends heat-sealed to the second wall at the heat-sealed bag side seams but being otherwise wholly free of said second wall throughout its entire width, said closure flap being folded over the mouth of the bag without folding said upper portion of the second wall and being reversely foldable to overlie said first wall thereby exposing the mouth of the bag for removal of merchandise therefrom.

5. The method of packaging merchandise comprising feeding a continuous web lengthwise and, as it isbeing fed, folding it on a longitudinal fold line which is offset to one side of the longitudinal center line of the web, thereby to provide superimposed envelope Walls one of which is wider than the other, placing items of mer chandise on the web prior to the completion of the folding thereof at spaced intervals along the length of the web and on one side of the line where the web is longitudinally folded, folding over the marginal portion of the wider wall at the edge thereof opposite said longitudinal fold line to overlie the other wall on the outside thereof, thereby to provide a continuous envelope having first and second superimposed walls joined along one edge thereof at a fold with the first wall having a flapforming portion joined thereto at. a fold along the other edge of the continuous envelope overlying the second wall on the outside thereof and free of the second wall, and with the items of merchandise positioned within said continuous envelope between the said walls thereof at spaced intervals along the length of the'envelope, and segmenting the envelope with said items therein on transverse lines between said items and side-seaming said segments throughout the width of the envelope, thereby to form individual bags each having merchandise therein with each bag having first and second walls joined at the bottom by a fold, seamed at the sides, and free of one another at the top, and having a closure fiap derived from said flap-forming portion joined to the first wall by a fold at the upper edge thereof and overlying the upper portion of the second wall on the outside thereof and having its ends seamed to the second wall at the bag side seams but being otherwise wholly free of said second wall throughout its entire Width, said closure flap being folded over the mouth of the bag without folding said upper portion of the second wall and being reversely foldable to'overlie said first wall thereby exposing the mouth of the bag for removal of merchandise therefrom.

6. The method of packaging merchandise comprising feeding a continuous web of flexible heat-sealable sheet material lengthwise and, as it is being fed, folding it on a longitudinal fold line which is offset to one side of the longitudinal center line of the web, thereby to provide superimposed envelope walls one of which is wider than the other, placing items of merchandise on the web prior to the completion of the folding thereof at spaced intervals along the length of the web and on one side of the line where the web is longitudinally folded, folding over the marginal portion of the wider wall at the edge thereof opposite said longitudinal fold line to overlie the other wall on the outside thereof, thereby to provide a continuous envelope having first and second superimposed walls joined along one edge thereof at a fold with the first wall having a flap-forming portion joined thereto at a fold along the other edge of the continuous envelope A overlying the second wall on the outside thereof and free ,of the second wall, and with the items of merchandise positioned within said continuous envelope between the said wall thereof at spaced intervals along the length of the envelope,'and segmenting the envelope with said items therein on transverse lines between said items and sideseaming said segments by heat-sealing throughout having first and second walls joined at the bottom by a fold, seamed by heat seals at the sides, and free of one another at the top, and having a closure flap derived 7 fromsaid flap-forming portion joined to the first wall'by hereby exposing the mouth of the bag for removal of merchandise therefrom. a

I '7. The method of packaging merchandise comprising placing items 'ofmerchandise on a continuous web at spaced intervals along the length of the web, applying a second web 'of' a different width fromthe first web over-- lying the items of merchandise and longitudinally seaming said webs together along one edge thereof, folding the marginal portion of the wider of the two webs at the other edge thereof to overlie the narrower, web on the outside thereof, thereby to form a continuous envelope having first and second walls joined along one edge thereof at a longitudinal seam with the first wall having a flap-forming portion joined thereto at a fold along the other edge of the continuous envelope overlye it 1 ing the second'wall on the outside thereof and free of the second wall, and with the items of merchandise positioned within said continuous envelope between the said walls thereof atspaced intervals along the length of the envelope, and segmenting the envelope with said items therein on transverse lines between 'said items and side- 'searning said segrnents throughout'the width of the envelope, thereby to form individual bags each having merchandise therein with each bag having first and second walls seamed at the bottom and at the sides, and free of one another at the top, and having a' closure flap derived from said flap-forming portion joined to the first wall by a fold at the upper edge thereof overlying the upper portion of the second wallton the outside thereof and having its ends seamed to the second wall at the bag side seams but being otherwise wholly free of said second wall throughout its entire width, said closure flap being folded over the mouth of the bag without folding said upper portion of the second wall and being retherefrom.

8. The method of packaging'merchaudise comprising placing items of merchandise on a continuous web of flexible heat-scalable sheet material at spaced intervals along the length of the web, applying a second web of flexible heat-sealable sheet material and of a different width from the-first web overlying the items of merchandise and longitudinally seaming said webs together along one edge thereof by heat-sealing, folding the mar-V ginal portion of the wider of the two webs at the other edge thereof to overlie the narrower web on the outside thereof, thereby to forma continuous envelope having first and second walls joined along'one edge thereof at a a heat-sealeddongitudinal seam with the first wall having a fiap-formrng-portion joined thereto at a fold along the other edge ofthe continuous envelope overlying the secend wall on the outside thereof and free of the second wall, and with the items of merchandise positioned withn sa d continuous envelope between the said'walls there- 7 of at spaced intervals alongv the length of the envelope,

and segmenting the envelope with said ite r ns therein on transverse lines between said items and side-seaming t dsegments by heat-sealing throughout the width of the envelope, thereby to form individual bags each having merchandise therein with each bag having first and second walls heat-sealed at the bottom and at the sides, and free of one another at the top, and having a closure fiap derived from said flap-forming portion joined to the first wall by a fold at the upper edge thereof overlying the upper portion ofthe second wall on the outside thereof and having its ends' heat-sealed to the second wall at the heat-sealed bag side seams but being otherwise wholly free of said second wall throughout its entire width, said closure flap being folded over the mouth of the bag without folding said upper portion of the second wall and being reversely foldable to overlie said first wall thereby exposing the mouth of the bag for removal'of merchandise therefrom.

9. The method of packaging merchandise'comprising placing items of merchandise on a continuous web at spaced intervals along the length of the web, applying a second web of a different width from the first web overlying the items of merchandise and longitudinally seaming said webs together along one edge thereof, applying a continuous strip overlying the other edge of the narrower web and longitudinally seaming said strip and the wider web together outward of said other edge of the narrower web, thereby to form a continuous envelope having first and second walls joined along one edge thereof at a longitudinal seam with the first wall having a flap-forming portion constituted by said strip joined thereto along the other edge of the continuous envelope by a longitudinal seam and overlying the second wall on the outside thereof and free of the second wall, and with the items of merchandise positioned within said continuous envelope between the said walls thereof at spaced intervals along the length of the envelope, and segmenting the envelope with said itemstherein ontransverse lines between said items and side-seaming said segments throughout the width of the envelope, thereby to form individual bagseach having merchandise therein with each bag having 'first and second walls seamed at the bottom and at the sides, and free of one another at the top, and having a closure flap derived from said strip joined to thefirst wall at the upper edge thereof by a seam and overlying the upper portion of the second wall 'on the outside thereof and having its ends seamed to the second wall at the bag sideseam's but being otherwise wholly free of said second wall throughout its entire 'width, said closure flap being folded over the mouth of the bag withoutfolding said upper portion of the second wall and 'being reversely foldable totoverlie said first i wall thereby exposing the mouth of the bag for removal of merchandise therefrom.

"10. The method of packaging merchandise comprising placing items of merchandise on a continuous web of flexible heat-scalable sheet material at-spaced intervals along the' length of the web, applying a second web of flexible heat-scalable sheet material of a different width from the first web overlying the items of merchandise sealed longitudinal seam and overlying the second wall i on theoutside thereof and free of the second wall, and

with the items of merchandise positioned within said 'continuous envelope between the said walls thereof at spacedtintervals along the length of the envelope, and segmenting the envelope with said items therein on transverse lines between said items and side-seaming said ond walls heat-sealed at the bottom and at the sides, and

free of one another'at the top, and having a closure flap derived from said strip joined to the first wall at the upper edge thereof by a heat-sealed seam and overlying the upper portion of the second wall on the outside thereof and having its ends heat-sealed to the second wall at the heat-sealed bag side seams but being otherwise wholly free of said second wall throughout its entire width, said closure flap being folded over the mouth of the bag without folding said upper portion of the secend wall and being reversely foldable to overlie said first wall thereby exposing the mouth of the bag for removal of merchandise therefrom.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,146,308 Maxfield Feb. 7, 1939 10 Yates Sept. 3, 1940 Yates Dec. 10, 1940 Nadeau Apr. 4, 1944 Rohdin May 28, 1946 Carson Mar. 16, 1948 Banks Jan. 30, 1951 Springate Apr. 12, 1955 Sylvester et a1. Feb. 17, 1959 

